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AI For Radio, Yes Or No?
March 23, 2023
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I don’t get it. Why would anyone in the radio industry embrace AI. Why would anyone who truly has a passion for the business, great talent and real creativity think this is a good idea. The use of AI jocks in an industry that is already shrinking largely due to the elimination of talent on every level of the business? Talent/personalities, programmers, marketing and promotions, and even account executives? I recently sat in on a discussion on AI for radio where the two obvious questions were asked about the topic.
The first was what are the benefits of AI for radio? The biggest benefit pitched was for syndicated personalities. It can obviously allow for more localized topics to be addressed in individual markets, and allow for more exposure with less physical work time involved for said personality. Another benefit was for writing promo/programming and add copy. And the obvious, it would either cut down on the workload of the few people left in the business or help reduce expenses by reducing the actual number of physical bodies needed to operate individual brands.
The second question was, “What can AI NOT do for radio?” There were several answers. It can’t go out and do local remotes in markets that still generate revenue from them. It can’t go out and do gorilla marketing and shake hands with listeners and the community. And it can’t do live and local broadcasts when breaking news or natural disasters occur. The one, and most important answer that no one ever got to was, it cannot, EVER, come up with a 100% creative and original idea.
The other two key points on the panel up for discussion were, first, the overall impression that using AI is how we are going to engage and create loyalty and genuine interest for radio with not only a Gen Z audience, but also attracting a Gen Z talent pool who will be excited about getting into the business. But with Gen Z’s strong desire for “authenticity,” a philosophy they live and die by, are they really going to buy into AI? In addition to that, the use of AI DJ’s will ultimately either eliminate the need for more talent in the business, and/or eliminate positions occupied by younger talent with less experience than seasoned and syndicated personalities.
The other key point was the overall impression that AI would NOT eliminate jobs. Seriously? If you think for a second that the executives sitting in the ivory towers of major radio companies are NOT thinking AI is the greatest thing to happen to the industry, than you are definitely living under a rock. The crazy thing is, I actually heard a highly regarded talent consultant make the comment that he was excited about AI talent being used moving forward because it would allow for dayparts outside of primetime to have more “professional sounding jocks” on the air to compliment syndicated talent, sound more professional at all times, and replace shifts that only aired sweepers. I almost fell out of my chair.
So, what happens when it’s “all (insert syndicated jock name here) all the time” on a station. Or with all due respect, what happens to your actual job coaching talent? I hope you can make money from coaching AI, because that’s where the job of consultant is headed. Sadly, most big time consultants are hired by big companies to work with syndicated shows, which means that the objectives are directed by the powers that be who are mostly motivated by financial decisions which are mostly motivated by consolidation of talent on all levels. That’s why I think the “usual suspects” are all about AI, because their bosses are all about it, and shockingly, even the most “talent pure, passionate programmers and consultants" are all about it for the same reasons. Little do they know; they are next on the list to be eliminated by the company.
Look, I get that it’s inevitable. That its out there and it’s the new “hip, cool thing,” but radio doesn’t have the best reputation for making lemonade out of lemons. And every time I read something about AI for radio, I get this dreadful feeling that it is the nail in the coffin of an already dying business. If we are going to embrace this as an industry, I recommend we do 2 things first. Have the guys in the Ivory Tower commit to NOT using it as an excuse to cut jobs and (pray) hold them accountable to that. And then have a Jacobs Media or Nuvoodoo or a reputable company do a research project among Gen Z to make sure the future of the industry is really going to buy into AI, a concept that has nothing to do with “authenticity.” Don’t just wing it because it’s the “new thing.” We continue to learn the lesson the hard way in this business and just throw things against the wall. Once we go down that road, we can’t go back. The ratings and cost per point don’t work that way, and if they do it takes a long time to make it happen. For once, lets be smart and do the research before we do something that’s detrimental to the business and before, not after, it’s too late.
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